Auto utility table



J. CHRISTIAN AUTO UTILITY TABLE Filed April 50, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR WITNESS: ATTORNEY Feb. 2 1926.

J. L. CHRISTIAN AUTO UTILITY TABLE Filed April 30. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR WITNESS:

I Patented Feb. 2, 1926.

UNITED STATES PA'KIENT OFFICE.

' JOHN L. CHRISTIAN, or PINNACLE, NORTH CAROLINA.

AUTO UTILITY TABLE.

Application filed April 30, 1924. Serial No. 710,147.

- To all whom it may concern:

freshments and the like, the device being also well adapted for holding a road or other ment.

map in proper position to facilitate reading, there being however no limitations as to the specifice use. 7

An important objectis the provision of a table attachment which is provided with novel clamping means whereby it may be readily engaged upon a door, the clamping means being furthermore adjustable to fit upon doors of different thicknesses and constructed to avoid scarring or marring the finish of the car.

An additional obj ect is the provision of an attachment of this character which will be simple and inexpensive in manufacture, easy to install, positive in action, eificient, durable and convenient in use and a general improvement in the art.

With the above and other objects and advantages in view the invention consists in the details of construction to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which: I

Figure 1 is a vertical section through an automobile door showing the table applied thereto and in operative position,

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the table swung down into inactive position,

Figure 3 is a plan view with the parts arranged as in Figure 1,

Figure 4- isa section on the line 44 of Fi e' 3,

1gure 5 1s a similar view showing the.

table swung down, Figure 6 1 a side elevation of the attach- Referring moreparticularly to the drawings the letter A esignates a portion of an automobile, and B represents one of the doors thereof.

In carrying outmy invention I provide a flat table or board 10 of any desired size, shape and material though necessarily of a length less than the height of the door to which it is intended to be applied.- Secured upon the underside of this board is a bracket 11 formed with one or more cars 12 pivotally connected at 13 With one or more ears 14 on a clamping member 15 which has a lateral extension 16 at its upper end.

For clamping the device upon the door, I

provide a second clamping member 17 which has a lateral extension 18 overlapping the extension 16 of the member 15 and adjustably secured .to a bolt 19 which passes through a hole in the extension 16 and through an elongated slot 20 in the extension 18. This bolt carries a wing or thumb nut 21 whereby thetwo members 15 and 17 may be secured and held at any desired distance apart to eii'ect clamping upon a vehicle door of any thickness.

-,' To hold the table in horizontal or extended position I provide a brace designated broadly by the numeral 22 which brace includes a section 23, hinged at 24 vupon the member 15, and which further includes a section 25 hinged at 26 upon the underside of the table. The two sections 23 and 25 of the brace are connected by'a rule joint 27 whereby the brace must be pushed upwardly at itsintermediate portion to break the joint and permit swinging'down of the table against the inside of. the door as shown in Figures 3 and 5.

As vehicle doors do not extend vertically and as they all do not have the same pitch, it is necessary to compensate for variations in order to hold the board or table in horizontal position. In carrying out this feature I provide any necessary number of blocks 28 which are secured by any preferred means upon the lower end of the member 15 and which engage against the inside of the,

door for holding the member 15 in such position that the table will be horizontal.

To avoid marring the finish and upholstering on the inside of the door, it is preferable that the members 15, 16, 17 and 28 be covered with felt indicated at 29.

The table may ofcourse be used, oonstructed, and arranged as above described, though it is desirable to provide a sheet or pane 30 of glass or other transparent material held in'place by retainin stri or cleats 31 fastened down onto tie to e at the ends thereozt, transparent sheet serva protection for a map 32 or the like which may be thus displayed for convenient reference.

From the foregoing description of the clamping members 15 and 17 and by referring to the illustration thereof, it will be seen that they constitute efficient means for mounting the table upon automobiles of any makes in which the doors may be of widely different thicknesses. The clamping members 15 and 17 might be described as of inverted L-shape and while it is not absolutely essential it is preferable that the connection of the two extensions 16 and. 18 be of the dovetail shape clearly disclosed in Figure 6 so as to makethe structure more rigid From the foregoing description it is believed that the construction, mounting and operation will be clear and the advantages of the device readily apparent without any need for further elaboration.

While I have shown and described the is at course to be understood that it reserve the right to make such changes in the form,

construction and arrangement of parts as will not depart from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claim.

ll claim:

A device of the character described, comprising atable, a pair ofinverted L-shaped ciamplng'members adapted to be straddled upon the upper edge of an automobile door, said table being hinged upon one clamping member, and a brace pivotally connected with saidclamping member and with the table and provided with a rule joint whereby the brace may be broken to-perinit the table to swing down into substantially vertical position, and adjustable meanson the lower end of said clamping member for engag'ement against the inside of-the door forvarying the position of said clamping member to brace the table mto horizontal position.

JOHN L. CHRISTIAN.

in testimony whereof I afiix my signature. I 

